1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a color management system to be connected with a plurality of output devices for executing color reproduction in accordance with image data.
2. Description of the Background Art
A color management system for managing color information has been introduced for processing an image by a computer or through a computer network. The color management system converts color information in image data in order to make output devices such as displays or printers, which are connected to the system, execute proper color reproduction.
For example, to print edited image data by a printer while viewing a display, color information is mapped between the display and the printer (or among three devices including a calibration device). In this case, if the range where the display can reproduce color (a region in color space which is hereafter referred to as “a color reproduction region”) exceeds the color reproduction region of the printer, the color information in image data which is edited with viewing a display is compressed into the color reproduction region of the printer in the color space.
However, when a plurality of output devices are connected to a computer, for example, a plurality of printers are connected, it is necessary to execute compression in color space (hereinafter referred to as “color space compression”) suitable for each printer, and color space compression is necessary for every printing. Therefore, the output speed of image data is lowered. Moreover, color tone reproduced by each printer delicately differs due to color space compression.
The official gazette of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-79865(1998) discloses an art that a common color reproduction region where a plurality of printers connected to a computer can reproduce color is obtained and the color information in image data is compressed into the common color reproduction region in color space when printing is performed. According to the above art, it is possible to commonize color reproduction regions for printing.
However, the art is the same as the prior art in that color space compression is executed every printing and output speed of image data may be insufficient.
On the other hand, when a plurality of displays different from each other in characteristic are connected to a computer network, image data which has been edited on a display is edited on another display again. Also in this case, if color reproduction regions for displays are different from each other, color space compression is necessary. As a result, the efficiency of editing image data is deteriorated, and color tone of an image changes between displays.